In the rare instance that you find Mazda’s CX-3 a touch too small, and at the same time, the CX-5 a little too big, the Japanese carmaker has come up with a solution that hears to the name CX-30.

Sales for the CX-30, unveiled just now in Geneva, will commence in the middle of this year in Europe, followed by the rest of the world at some point in time. As far as styling is concerned, the CX-30 has been thought up using Mazda’s Kodo design language, resulting in a dynamic exterior.

“We designed the CX-30 to be an essential partner in the customer’s daily life,” said Mazda president & CEO, Akira Marumoto. “It will be made at key global plants so we can deliver Mazda’s renowned driving pleasure and matured Kodo design to customers all over the world. Moving forward, our new products and technologies will ensure customers continue to see the value in owning a Mazda car. We aim to be recognised as a brand that forms the strongest of bonds with each customer.”

Inside, it features “relaxed and user-friendly packaging”, with enough room for four adults. Meanwhile, the increased height over a regular saloon or hatchback means improved visibility on the road, as well as easier access inside, as with most crossovers. As for the freestanding infotainment system, it can be controlled via a rotary dial on the center console.

Power comes from the automaker’s latest-generation Skyactive engines, including the Skyactiv-X. While no official word has been dropped, we expect the CX-30 to utilize the same hardware as the latest Mazda3, which should mean 1.5-, 2.0 and 2.5-liter petrol units, as well as a 1.8-liter diesel for Europe. An optional all-wheel drive system should also be available.

Compared to a Mazda3, the CX-30 has an extra 25 mm (0.98 inches) in ground clearance, plus an impressive 430 liters (15.1 cu.ft) of volume inside the trunk, compared to the 3’s 295 liters (10.4 cu.ft).

While there’s no word yet on pricing, Mazda will probably charge you a little less than they would for a CX-5, which means that in the U.S. for example, the CX-30 could set you back anywhere between $24,350 (entry-level CX-5) and $20,390 (entry-level CX-3).

It will slot between the CX-3 and CX-5.

When Mazda released the first teaser image of a new compact crossover exactly a month ago, we thought the Japanese company is going to introduce a new generation CX-3 in Geneva. Fast forward to present day, the brand is unveiling its new model near Lake Geneva – and it is neither а new CX-3, nor a European version of the CX-4.

Instead, Mazda is debuting a brand new global crossover. The CX-30 is a production high-riding vehicle positioned between the CX-3 and CX-5 in the marque’s crossover/SUV lineup. It features somewhat more restrained looks than its CX brothers with a more conservative approach to the Kodo design language. The proportions are balanced and the machine appears to be slightly less aggressive than the CX-5 but, dare we say, that’s for good.

The CX-30 rides on an evolution of Mazda’s Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture which is shared with the new Mazda3. It is 173 inches (4,395 mm) long, 71 inches (1,795 wide), and has a wheelbase of 105 inches (2,655 mm), which makes it significantly longer and slightly wider than the CX-3. Mazda is not saying what’s the vehicle’s weight but we suppose it’s going to be a bit higher than the CX-3’s 2,952 pounds (1,339 kilograms).

The engine range of the model consists of Euro 6d-TEMP gas and diesel engines mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox. All gasoline units come with Mazda’s M Hybrid mild-hybrid system for improved efficiency. The tech combines an ICE with an electric motor and a 24-volt lithium-ion battery.

The CX-30 is also receiving Mazda’s latest Skyactiv-X engine which uses a unique combustion method that, on paper, combines the advantages of a gasoline and a diesel engine. The manufacturer is not disclosing performance numbers for the unit, but if the new Mazda3 for Europe is anything to go by, you should expect the peak output to be about 178 horsepower (133 kilowatts) and 164 pound-feet (222 Newton-meters) of torque.

Power from the internal combustion engine is channeled to all four wheels through the company’s i-Activ AWD system with GVC Plus which intuitively controls the torque distribution between the front and rear wheels. Mazda says it delivers better grip under all driving conditions without affecting the fuel efficiency.

The "second new generation model" from Mazda is slated to arrive at U.S. showrooms at some point in the near future.

While our initial speculation that the vehicle would be badged CX-4 was a bit off, the 2020 CX-30 itself is exactly what we expected it to be: a compact SUV based on the new Mazda 3 that will slot between the current subcompact CX-3 and the 10Best-winning CX-5 crossovers. Unveiled at the Geneva auto show, the CX-30 is 173.0 inches long and rides on a 104.5-inch wheelbase, placing it squarely between its two siblings. Mazda's latest SkyActiv vehicle architecture, which debuted with the 2019 Mazda 3 compact sedan and hatch, underpins the CX-30. As with the 3, front-wheel drive will be standard with all-wheel drive an option, and the suspension consists of the same strut-front/rear-torsion-beam layout.

MazdaAlso expect the CX-30 to employ similar powertrain strategy as the 3, which likely will mean a 186-hp, naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four mated to a six-speed automatic transmission as the standard setup. Mazda's high-tech spark-controlled-compression-ignition 2.0-liter inline-four, dubbed Skyactiv-X, will likely be optional after the CX-30 goes on sale in the U.S. early next year as a 2020 model; the vehicle and the Skyactiv-X engine both will initially launch in Europe later this year.

Tidier proportions and a faster rear-hatch profile will distinguish the CX-30 from the larger CX-5, as will thicker dark plastic cladding on the lower body and wheel arches. It's not a bad look but the cladding is prominent and somewhat distracts from an otherwise sleekly sculpted crossover design.

MazdaInside, expect the environment and equipment levels to mimic the new Mazda 3's cockpit, which is very good thing. Along with the considerable attention Mazda says it paid to the CX-30's level of sound insulation, the SUV sports the 3's new front-seat design, as well as an updated eight-speaker audio system with an available 12-speaker setup. Also available will be Mazda's i-Activsense suite of driver aids, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, automatic forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and auto high beams. Although the CX-30's cabin is slightly more accommodating in terms of passenger space than the Mazda 3 hatchback, its 15-cubic-foot cargo capacity behind the rear seats is less than half of what the CX-5 offers, albeit is slightly more generous than the tiny CX-3's 12 cubic feet.

Despite the latest Mazda 3's slightly slower steering and switch to a less advanced torsion-beam rear axle, the CX-30 shares a lot of DNA with what we consider to be a family of excellent driving vehicles. We'll have the opportunity later this year to see how well the 3's bones fare in crossover duty, as well as if the CX-30 is as significant of a break from Mazda's established SUVs as its name suggests.

What's in a name? Mazda's CX-30 designation for its new compact crossover is perplexing. For one thing, given its placement between the smaller CX-3 and the larger CX-5 in Mazda's lineup, it logically should be called the CX-4. But also because its four-character alphanumeric badge is out of sync with all of the company's other three-digit nameplates in the U.S. market. We learned from Mazda that, using its internal reasoning, it had little option but to create an all-new moniker for the vehicle, logical or not.

C/D pulled Mazda's U.S. representatives aside at the Geneva auto show for an explanation. It simply came down to the fact that Mazda already sells a distinct model in China badged as CX-4, and the company could not justify selling two separate vehicles under the same name in different markets. Compared with the potential confusion that some buyers may have in differentiating the CX-30 from the current CX-3, not to mention the additional marketing complexity that the two similar badges create, the corporate frustration that two CX-4 models might cause seems, to us, like a small price to pay. But we're not automotive executives, only humble scribes.

So, where did the CX-30 name come from? Thank the company's BT-50 mid-size pickup truck, which is sold in Australia and other foreign markets. With its four-character alphanumeric precedent already in place, it was a short stretch—albeit a somewhat clumsy one—for Mazda to essentially adapt a CX prefix and tack on a couple of numbers.

While that doesn't resolve the similarity between the CX-30 and CX-3 designations, the new nameplate's unique back story does soften our initial speculation that the CX-30 might foreshadow the future addition of other four-digit Mazda CX models. That's not to say such a development may not happen down the road. But at least Mazda didn't embark on the wholesale restructuring of its model designations just for the CX-30's sake, which surely would result in even greater confusion. Just ask Infiniti.